Theater, of this new millennium, is having a bit of a hard time settling itself in to being “new” –which is something of an old issue.
What we need as impetus are new houses that facilitate the thinking and technology of the next millennium, which should offer impetus for production companies to nurture artists who can speak the tongue of this new ‘black box’.
A internet site I was turned on to is TED: ideas worth spreading. A good friend, who has had years of watching me create works, seemingly meant for an audience of the future, sent me a link to a particular seminar given by Joshua Prince-Ramus, a stellar American architect whose vision for a build’s function is so radically organic, purposeful, collaborative and specific, that it reinvigorates the entire purpose of building.
In this lecture, he speaks of architecture of the future, but, more specifically, about the design he created for the Wyly Theater, at the New Dallas Theater Center.
This is the home of a new blend of theatre; a black box, whose very skin is part of the performance, and whose bones bear more than a stage. It is, for me, the greatest indication of hope, that a company will take a journey with an architect that moves them from a preconceived mindset, to a “wonder space” for creating a unique venue of entertainment and commerce.
The whole lecture runs a little over 18:00. It is an incredible tour into the future of building function –but I know the days are long, and time is tight –so if you wish, just start at time code 5:34.
[ted id=750]
This site is full of wonderful, inspiring, jaw dropping conversations on development, commerce, creativity, collaboration, science and humanity. Have a look.